Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

2 Answers

Instrument Training in Tandem Aircraft

Asked by: 86 views Instrument Rating

Hello, I recently got an experimental Cub with an IFR panel that includes a G3X, GNC355, G5 and a GMC305 autopilot controller. I have no NAV radios. I understand that I will be limited to RNAV/GPS approaches but my home airport has several such approaches and airports in the training area also have many of these as well. I have several questions. Are any GPS approaches considered equivalent to a Precision Approach as required for the checkride? I have a tandem seating setup with no instruments in the back. Do you think any instructor would be willing to instruct in such a plane? Since I have a perfectly good airplane I really don't want to have to pay for time in another aircraft if I don't have to. In addition, I really want to learn my avionics and it seems that training in a plane with a completely different panel would be kind of a waste of time.

2 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Dec 19, 2024

    If you are thinking of getting an instrument rating, looking at the Instrument ACS is a good idea. If you do, you will find that GPS approaches using an official glidepath to an LPV or LNAV/VNAV DA are treated as “precision approaches” in the current instrument ACS.

    ” A precision approach is a standard instrument approach procedure to a published decision altitude using provided approved vertical guidance.”

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes

  2. Best Answer


    Kris Kortokrax on Dec 20, 2024

    There are a few other considerations.

    Look at 91.109(c)(2). The safety pilot (CFII / Examiner) must have adequate vision forward and to each side of the aircraft. You will be under the hood. You say you are using an experimental Cub. With the instructor / examiner in the back he very likely will not have adequate forward vision to spot traffic.

    Next, look at 61.45. 61.45(a) requires an aircraft used for the practical test to have a Standard airworthiness certificate or Limited, Primary, Light Sport. It only allows an Experimental aircraft at the discretion of the Examiner. You would need to find an Examiner willing to do the test in your airplane. I wouldn’t think you would do the training in your Cub and then go rent a 172 for the practical.

    61.45(b)(1)(iii) again references having adequate visibility.

    I have done a lot of both Instrument and Tailwheel instruction. If I were presented with this scenario, I would need to evaluate whether I am able to see the panel to monitor your performance.

    Note that 61.65(d)(2)(ii) requires that the long cross country be performed “under instrument flight rules”. That means you must comply with 91.167 through 91.193, as applicable. Specifically, 91.173 requires that to operate in controlled airspace (and you won’t be conducting enroute IFR in Class G airspace), you have filed an IFR flight plan and received an appropriate ATC clearance. This would need to be in place for the whole flight. You could’nt just get a clearance, take off and then cancel the IFR clearance and then operate using Flight Following for the rest of the flight.

    The airplane would also need the altimeter check outlined in 91.411. While your plane will probably have a 91.413 check, you need to make sure that the radio shop also did the 91.411 check.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.